KDSN RADIO News
Hoover museum in West Branch to reopen in August after major facelift
A grand reopening date of August 6th is now set for the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch. The facility, which first opened in 1962, is undergoing a top-to-bottom, inside-and-out renovation.
The $20-million remodel forced the library and museum to close in January of 2025 and it’s undergoing a 100-percent change in its floorplan, according to Mundi McCarty, president and CEO of the Hoover Presidential Foundation.
“We’re excited to welcome visitors back to see the museum in a new light,” McCarty says, “and really, our focus is, of course, on making sure that Hoover is seen as such a remarkable person, had a remarkable life, and is still really relevant today.”
All of the public galleries have been gutted and they’re being rebuilt with new technology, immersive exhibits, expanded storytelling, and interactive educational experiences to tell the story of the nation’s 31st president. The lobby area is also being expanded, and there’s a 2,200 square foot addition. McCarty says all of the exterior stone work is from the exact same vein of Anamosa limestone from the same Stone City quarry that was originally used in the 1960s.
“You’ll see some familiarity with the look and feel of the library and museum, but once you step inside, everything will be new,” McCarty says, “except, of course, the classic story about Herbert Hoover.”
